You know what would work great? Boardwalks made out of recycled plastic. It's like pressed wood, except it's old plastic bottles and wood scraps. It lasts forever. I first saw them in Yellowstone Park many years ago, but now I see they're using that stuff to make picnic tables and all kinds of things. And you can make it look like wood if you want to.

Oh, NOW it's a problem. Is it a problem when 10,000 oceanfront houses are washed into the ocean, or when we build entire cities on river banks, then throw all our trash and sewage into the river? Naw---that's just the way it is. Keep building. But don't you dare think of building a plastic boardwalk that might wash away in a hurricane.

Bloomberg must wake up every day and ask himself 'How can I be a complete douchebag and all around piece of shiat today?' There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this paternalistic, authoritarian piece of shiat

peewinkle:Imagine that you grew up in a beautiful, rustic log cabin that was built 100+ years ago. Then it was destroyed. So you replace it with with a poured-wall concrete abode. Get the picture?

Imagine my tax dollars are going to repair a damaged structure. They should be used in the smartest way possible both to restore the structure ans ensure against future damages, not just to mollify your fee-fees.

How about making the structure itself out of durable concrete and steel to prevent a storm surge from destroying it, but covering the surface of it with wood (or convincing wood analogue) planks to preserve the attractive look of a wooden boardwalk?

Category refers to wind speed. Sandy was HUGE. As in, it was a much LARGER hurricane than most. More water was displaced than would have been by a smaller storm, even if the winds were blowing harder. More displaced water = larger storm surge = more damage.

Uncle Tractor:Well, there are going to be many more storms like this. They can either build something that'll survive the next Sandy, or build something that won't. Besides, concrete isn't necessarily ugly.

[upload.wikimedia.org image 640x480]

came here to say this.

I've seen some nice stamped concrete that can be a compromise between the two:

It is well known that the mafia controls the concrete in New York City. That is the reason the concrete costs more here than anywhere else in the country. It is also the reason that Yankee Stadium cost so much to build. And yeah all this is, is about who will get the contract.

Long before the storm, Mr. Bloomberg declared that New York City would phase out its use of endangered tropical hardwoods, featured on the Coney Island and Rockaway boardwalks. But a 2011 plan to replace parts of the Coney Island Boardwalk with concrete and recycled plastic lumber stirred resistance from local residents who wanted to retain the authenticity of the wood.

So the wood is endangered to begin with, that's good enough reason to stop using it.

I feel the point is moot. People shouldn't be building much in the Rockaways. They'll just get washed out the next time a hurricane comes along. Sandy was only a Category 1. Fool me once mother nature...

cmb53208:Bloomberg must wake up every day and ask himself 'How can I be a complete douchebag and all around piece of shiat today?' There is absolutely nothing redeeming about this paternalistic, authoritarian piece of shiat

The fact that NY seems to love picking babysitters for mayors is one major reason why I wouldn't want to live there.

Fart_Machine:182: cryinoutloud: You know what would work great? Boardwalks made out of recycled plastic. It's like pressed wood, except it's old plastic bottles and wood scraps. It lasts forever. I first saw them in Yellowstone Park many years ago, but now I see they're using that stuff to make picnic tables and all kinds of things. And you can make it look like wood if you want to.

182:cryinoutloud: You know what would work great? Boardwalks made out of recycled plastic. It's like pressed wood, except it's old plastic bottles and wood scraps. It lasts forever. I first saw them in Yellowstone Park many years ago, but now I see they're using that stuff to make picnic tables and all kinds of things. And you can make it look like wood if you want to.

Last Man on Earth:Agreed. I'm nowhere near there, so I maybe I'm missing something, but right after a hurricane, it seems like replacing the fragile wood with wood-paneled concrete would be a much smarter play. Is there some amazingly irreplaceable element to the wood that I'm just not seeing?

Imagine that you grew up in a beautiful, rustic log cabin that was built 100+ years ago. Then it was destroyed. So you replace it with with a poured-wall concrete abode. Get the picture?

/cripes, it's New Jersey and New York, let them have SOMETHING nice to look at/ walk on.//dammit, now I want a hot dog